Happy Valentine's Day to all our wonderful customers!

We hope your day is filled with sparkling love and joy.

Why Choose San Diego Custom Jewelry?

Why would you decide to have a piece of fine San Diego custom jewelry made by our master designer, Simon Mattar? There are lots of reasons why custom jewelry might be a better choice than buying something ready-made:

You have in mind a very specific and unusual design. For example, a horse lover or a fan of the races might want a ring or pendant showing a beautiful image of a horse. You would have a hard time finding that design ready-made.

You want to combine elements of several designs into one. Customers often come in with design ideas that combine certain features of two or three pieces they love into one single ring. You might want to combine the surface texture from one ring with the color or gemstone mounting of another. Only custom jewelry can give you exactly what you want.

You need a nonstandard ring size. Even if you find the ring of your dreams with the design and gemstones exactly as you want, your ring size might not be available. The solution is to order custom jewelry made specifically to fit you.

You’re looking for high-end craftsmanship. Custom jewelry is produced in single pieces and requires individual attention from our skilled master jeweler, Simon Mattar. It is done by hand and perfect hand finishing is provided. You know you’re receiving the best possible quality and value.

These are just some reasons to come to our award-winning designer, Simon Mattar, to create a unique piece of San Diego custom jewelry for you. Call us to make an appointment today.

Engagement Rings: A Candidate for Redesign

 Rock N Gold Creations’ master San Diego custom jeweler, Simon Mattar, is a San Diego custom jewelry design specialist. A customer comes to him with an idea, a dream of a beautiful new item, and he brings it to life. Sometimes he creates a piece from scratch. Other times, customers come to him with old jewelry that they don’t wear anymore and he turns an old piece into a stunning new custom ring or custom necklace that they will love and wear every day.

When the design is for a new custom engagement ring, we think it’s a good idea to involve the woman in the design. Even if she isn’t sitting in on the meetings because the man would like to surprise her, he should have ideas of what she likes. Bringing in pictures she has cut out of magazines or notes of specific requests she has made is a great idea. If you’re going to plan your future together, you should be able to agree on what you want in a custom ring design. After all, this is a beautiful symbol of your commitment to each other that she will be wearing every day for the rest of your lives together. The last thing you want is to surprise her with something that doesn’t match her personality or style.

One example is choosing a diamond that is high in quality, but sacrificing size for clarity and cut. Although it is a fine diamond, it might not look very impressive on your fiancée’s finger. She might prefer a slightly larger diamond that was not as perfect. (Rock N Gold Creations focuses on premium to ideal quality GIA-certified diamonds.) A small but almost perfect diamond in an outdated setting is a perfect candidate for Simon to create a new setting that really sets it off, using old stones to create a whole new look. If you have an engagement ring that you never really liked, or would simply like to update its look, call today to make an appointment with Simon to explore the possibilities.

Simon Says... Shopping for Your Valentine

Valentine’s Day is here, and there is still time for you to pick up a beautiful item of San Diego custom jewelry for your loved one. Men's bracelets are hot right now, and designer watches are very popular. (Rock N Gold Creations stocks vintage and classic watches from many fine designers.) Heart-shaped custom jewelry (the universal symbol of love) is always a great pick for Valentine’s Day, as well as jewelry with gemstones in pink and red shades like rubies, garnets, amethyst, pink topaz, pink diamonds or sapphires, and pink tourmaline, among others.

Another great choice this year is vintage jewelry, and we have a large selection of estate items to choose from. Charms and charm bracelets are hot sellers, along with chunky rings. Charm bracelets never go out of style, and you can choose from thousands of charms, so there will always be one with a special significance to your valentine.

Think about your valentine's tastes. What does she like and dislike when looking at jewelry? Is her look big and bold or does she prefer simple and elegant? What will this gift mean to her? Will she still wear it long after Valentine’s Day, or will it end up in the jewelry box with all the other items that just didn't fit her style or personality?

Women can think creatively about gifts for the man in your life, too. One example is to give him sports tickets held in a beautiful vintage money clip, or custom cuff links for his favorite dress shirt.

Whatever you choose, the high level of quality and workmanship you receive from Rock N Gold Creations will show your valentine you want to give them nothing but the best. Come see everything we have to offer in our showroom, for all budgets.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Simon Mattar

Think Outside the Little Velvet Box this Valentine’s Day

Gentlemen (and ladies too)—why not consider a creative alternative to the little jewelry box this Valentine’s Day? If you put your mind to it, you can present your loved one with a gift of jewelry in an original way.

Here are some ideas for ways to present fine jewelry as a gift:

—Arrange the jewelry item inside a box of fine chocolates.

—Nestle a pair of earrings into the petals of a single rose. Gold looks beautiful in a red rose, while silver or platinum pop against pink petals.

—Drape a chain with pendant or a bracelet around the outside of a bottle of fine wine or champagne.

—Jewelry in a small drawstring bag can be slipped into your loved one’s pocket (or purse), for a lovely surprise later in the evening.

—Choose a larger box from an unrelated item and carefully wrap the jewelry in layers of tissue paper or bubble wrap to hide inside. It might look like a toaster, but it turns out to be a lovely bracelet or pendant.

—Present her with a teddy bear or other stuffed animal wearing the necklace or bracelet.

Some up with some ideas of your own—the sky’s the limit. With a little creative thinking, both you and your loved one will be delighted with your Valentine’s Day gift and the little box can wait for another day.

Victoria’s Secrets: How to Clean Your Jewelry

Your fine jewelry may not look its best if you don’t keep your pieces clean. The buildup of sweat, soap, lotion, and everyday grime can make your custom jewelry look dull and dirty and harbor bacteria. Although cleaning jewelry is one of the complimentary services Rock N Gold Creations offers, many clients ask me how they can do it themselves at home. Here are some tips to keep your custom jewelry clean and gleaming:

GOLD: Soak the item for 15 minutes in a two cups of warm water with a few drops of a mild dishwashing liquid, like Joy. Gently scrub with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.

DIAMONDS: Soak for 20 minutes in a mixture of one cup warm water and ¼ cup ammonia. Gently scrub with a soft-bristle toothbrush, getting into the small areas between the diamond and the setting. Rinse with warm water, and lay on a tissue to dry.

PEARLS: Rub each pearl individually with a soft, clean cotton cloth dampened with a solution of two cups warm water and a few drops of a mild dishwashing liquid, like Joy. (Don’t soak your string of pearls; it can cause the string to stretch.) Let them air-dry overnight.

SILVER: Rinse in warm water and pat dry. If silver is tarnished, use a silver-polishing cloth or a jar of silver-cleaning fluid. (Silver cleaner won't harm gold and platinum, but it also won't clean them.) For intricately designed jewelry, use a silver-cleaning paste to get into small crevices. (Don't use toothpaste or other abrasive cleaners, which will scratch.) Wipe with a clean, soft cloth.

Call us today to make an appointment for complimentary jewelry cleaning!

Best wishes,

Victoria Mattar